Learn Italian: Oggi faccio le pulizie: spazzo e spolvero. - Today I am doing the cleaning: I sweep and I dust.

In Italian, the simple present (faccio) is widely used for actions happening today or around now. You use the present progressive (sto facendo) only when you really want to emphasize that you are in the exact middle of doing the action right this second. For general plans today like doing chores, the simple present is completely natural and often translates to the English "I am doing".

How would I change spazzo e spolvero into the present progressive form taught in this lesson?

Since both are regular -are verbs (spazzare and spolverare), you drop the -are and add the gerund ending -ando. With the "I" (io) form of stare, the actions become: sto spazzando (I am sweeping) and sto spolverando (I am dusting).

Why use the phrase faccio le pulizie instead of just a single verb for "to clean"?

The phrase fare le pulizie (literally, "to do the cleanings") is the standard Italian way to say "to do chores" or "to clean the house." There is a verb for cleaning (pulire), but fare le pulizie is the specific set phrase used for routine housework.

Are spazzo and spolvero related to other words I might know?